Cross-Cultural Contexts of Modern Muslim Intellectualism

2007 ◽  
Vol 47 (3) ◽  
pp. 264-282 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Michael Feener
Keyword(s):  
Recent Work ◽  
Intellectual History ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Cultural Dimensions ◽  
Religious Thought ◽  
Cultural Contexts ◽  
Islamic Studies ◽  
Modern Period ◽  
History Of ◽  
Analytical Frameworks

AbstractAttempts at understanding the development of Islam in the modern period through its intellectual history demand new analytical frameworks to be brought to bear on both Muslim religious thought and the academic study of religion. There is a need for innovative approaches to modern Muslim intellectualism that can build upon the traditional strengths of Islamic Studies while also taking into account contemporary realities which add new dimensions of complexity to the processes of producing and transmitting knowledge. Aside from the formal contents of legal, theological, and social texts texts, approaches to Muslim thought in the modern period also require paying attention to the dynamics of new educational and publishing structures, new forms of media, and cross-cultural contexts of discussion, all complemented by a theoretically aware methodological flexibility that self-consciously moves back and forth between text-specific and broader cultural dimensions of analysis. In this article these issues are raised in the course of reflections on recent work in mapping an intellectual history of Islam in modern Indonesia.

An introduction to the history of modern Persian Sufism, Part I: The Ni'matullāhī order: persecution, revival and schism

1998 ◽  
Vol 61 (3) ◽  
pp. 437-464 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leonard Lewisohn
Keyword(s):  
Religious Tradition ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
The Political ◽  
Religious Thought ◽  
Literature And Philosophy ◽  
Modern Period ◽  
Modern Development ◽  
Mystical Tradition ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Subject

Following the political upheavals of 1978, the history and development of Shiite religious thought in modern-day Persia has been the subject of detailed scholarly studies, but the modern development of Sufism—the mystical tradition that lies at the heart of traditional Persian culture, literature and philosophy, which is, from the cultural and literary point of view at least, the most fascinating aspect of the Perso-Islamic religious tradition—remains almost completely uncharted. In contrast to the classical and medieval periods of Persian Sufism which have undergone much scholarly investigation in recent years, the study of the modern period of Iranian tasawwuf, though far better known and documented, has been seriously neglected by scholars.

scholarly journals Moralistic Gods and Social Complexity: A Brief History of the Problem

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benjamin Grant Purzycki ◽  
Ryan McKay
Keyword(s):  
Intellectual History ◽  
Social Complexity ◽  
Cooperative Behavior ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Scientific Study ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Cultural Resources ◽  
Human Relationships ◽  
Traditional Societies ◽  
History Of

A cluster of persistent and contentious questions in the scientific study of religion concern when and why so-called “moralistic traditions” developed and how they have shaped human relationships. Is there an association between moralistic gods and the size and/or complexity of the society that might worship them? How cross-culturally ubiquitous are such traditions? Are people more willing to engage in cooperative behavior when they believe their god cares about morality? This chapter focuses on how these questions have arisen and how generations of researchers have struggled to address them. We first briefly examine the intellectual history of the problem, pointing to some of the troubling aspects of early observations of traditional societies and subsequent anthropological positions. We then address how early observations of small-scale peoples have populated cross-cultural resources that have informed and driven contemporary empirical projects. We finish by pointing to ways in which we might go about ensuring that the conversation continues with clarity and consistency.

"Life in the Round" and the History of Libraries in Micronesia

2011 ◽  
pp. 253-270 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicholas J. Goetzfridt
Keyword(s):  
Information Technologies ◽  
Educational Development ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Educational Opportunities ◽  
Cultural Contexts ◽  
American Institution ◽  
Early Christian ◽  
The Pacific ◽  
History Of ◽  
Cultural Tensions

This chapter uses the importation of an American institution of information—“the library”—into the Pacific region of Micronesia as an example of a contextual-less, cross-cultural information transference that suggests the autonomous impact of distance education technology and protocols on indigenous and other interpretative communities. Such an impact negates the innate values of these communities as they pertain to concepts of “knowledge” and “information” derived from tenacious cultural and social values. Conflicts between indigenous values and the transferences of “the library” and subsequent information technologies are considered along with individualizing values exhibited by early Christian missionaries in Micronesia. Based upon these issues and cross-cultural tensions, the chapter appeals for the inclusion of indigenous contexts into discussions of online educational development and access to better understand and serve these communities and to provide an exemplary situation from which to recognize the importance of cultural contexts in the provision of distance educational opportunities.

scholarly journals Catholic Intellectuals and the Invention of Pluralism in France

2019 ◽  
pp. 1-23
Author(s):  
H. S. Jones
Keyword(s):  
Twentieth Century ◽  
Recent Work ◽  
Intellectual History ◽  
Central Place ◽  
Important Influence ◽  
Political Language ◽  
Christian Democracy ◽  
Jacques Maritain ◽  
History Of ◽  
Anglo American

AbstractThis article traces the invention of pluralist political language in France to a very specific ideological source: Jacques Maritain, Emmanuel Mounier, and the progressive Catholic circles that gathered around the journalEspritin the 1930s. It shows that the dialogue with the émigré Russian Jewish sociologist Georges Gurvitch was an important influence on theEspritcircle, but also that it was Maritain rather than Gurvitch who did most to disseminate the language of pluralism. The paper thus builds on recent work according Maritain and Christian democracy a central place in the intellectual history of twentieth-century politics. It also contests the Anglo-American bias that has dominated histories of pluralism, and instead places France at the centre.

Meta-analytic comparison on the influencing factors of knowledge transfer in different cultural contexts

2014 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 278-306 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jing Hua Li ◽  
Xiao Ran Chang ◽  
Li Lin ◽  
Li Ya Ma
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Transfer ◽  
Influencing Factors ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Power Distance ◽  
Cultural Knowledge ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Cultural Dimensions ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Cultural Contexts ◽  
Depth Analysis

Purpose – This paper provides a comprehensive assessment of the influencing factors on knowledge transfer through meta-analysis with an emphasis on the influence of cultural contexts. Design/methodology/approach – The approach involved the evaluation and analysis of 69 published empirical studies and the categorization of these studies into two groups based on different cultural contexts as described by Hofstede. A meta-analytic approach was then employed to provide a comparative analysis of the categorized studies. Findings – The results of the meta-analysis of the influencing factors of knowledge transfer are consistent with the results obtained in most previous studies, indicating a maturation of research in this area. Influencing factors such as knowledge ambiguity, tie strength, trust, and common cognition are shown to impact knowledge transfer in different cultural contexts, particularly with regard to the individualism-low power distance and collectivism-high power distance dimensions defined by Hofstede. Research limitations/implications – This analysis was limited to the correlation between the influencing factors and the general performance in knowledge transfer and did not specifically address more detailed dimensions such as efficiency and effectiveness. In addition, this analysis was restricted to the cultural contexts of only two cultural dimensions. However, the review of this broad range of studies provided sufficient data to allow an in-depth analysis of related influencing factors and helped to illustrate and exemplify the influencing mechanisms of culture on knowledge transfer. Practical implications – The results presented in this paper can help managers working in cross-cultural environments to understand the key influencing factors that affect knowledge transfer in the workplace. By understanding these factors, managers can more effectively implement methods and procedures that improve cross-cultural knowledge transfer in the work environment. Originality/value – This paper provides a detailed insight into the influencing factors found between two distinctive cultural contexts and offers a fresh analysis of influencing factors with regard to knowledge transfer in a cross-cultural environment.

ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES TO MODERNIZATION IN THE LATE OTTOMAN PERIOD: İZMİRLİ İSMAİ L HAKKI'S RELIGIOUS THOUGHT AGAINST MATERIALIST SCIENTISM

2007 ◽  
Vol 39 (1) ◽  
pp. 77-102 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Sait Özervarli
Keyword(s):  
Intellectual History ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Arab World ◽  
Religious Thought ◽  
Historical Experience ◽  
Modern Period ◽  
Islamic Thought ◽  
Alternative Approaches ◽  
Late Ottoman ◽  
Close Investigation

The aim of this article is to explore the distinctiveness of İzmirli İsmail Hakki (1869–1946) in the context of late Ottoman intellectual history and to suggest several implications of his thought on our understanding of debates on religion and modernization among Ottomans in the modern period. Studies on modern Islamic thought in the 19th and 20th centuries are mostly limited, especially in Western literature, to works dealing with a few well-known figures in the Arab world, such as Jamal al-Din al-Afghani and Muhammad Abduh. However, a close investigation into several mostly neglected or yet uncovered thinkers of the Ottoman capital, Istanbul, can provide us with more interesting aspects of this period. The earlier interest of Istanbul ulama in modernization, their closer and more direct contact with Europeans, and the long historical experience of central Ottoman intelligentsia in similar reviving attempts are some of these aspects. This article aims to demonstrate that central Ottoman studies can make significant contributions to the current knowledge of the period, not only in political history, as has been the main focus so far, but also in religious and intellectual thought. It will show how a contact was established between modern European and Ottoman religious thought, in which ways the issue of modernization became an important topic in religious circles, and what kind of perceptions took place among them about its content and limits.

scholarly journals Daniel W. Brown A New Introduction to Islam, 2nd ed.

2011 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 150-152
Author(s):  
Tauseef Ahmad Parray
Keyword(s):  
Southeast Asia ◽  
Religious Tradition ◽  
Religious Culture ◽  
Beliefs And Practices ◽  
Cultural Contexts ◽  
Islamic Studies ◽  
Islamic Tradition ◽  
South And Southeast Asia ◽  
The World ◽  
History Of

A New Introduction to Islam is an excellent undergraduate textbook presentinga thorough history of Islam. It introduces students to the historyand development of Islamic studies as a discipline—showing how Islamicstudies has shaped our understanding of Islam—and it also examineshow the vibrant religious culture of the Near East produced a unique andbrilliant intellectual and religious tradition spanning the fields of Islamiclaw, theology, philosophy, and mysticism. In addition, it shows the waysin which the Islamic tradition has enriched the world, and in turn, how ithas been enriched by interaction with other civilizations. And against thebackground of social and cultural contexts that extend from North Africato South and Southeast Asia, it also considers the opportunities and challengesfacing Muslims today and provides a new and illuminating perspectiveof the development of Muslim beliefs and practices ...

scholarly journals Name & sign: About Zaharija Orfelin’s pseudonym

2016 ◽  
pp. 75-87
Author(s):  
Vladimir Simic
Keyword(s):  
Early Modern ◽  
Intellectual History ◽  
Historical Context ◽  
Early Modern Period ◽  
General Characteristic ◽  
Name Change ◽  
Modern Period ◽  
Historical Figure ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Individual

The problem of representation of intellectuals and artists in the early modern period has long occupied historians and researchers of various disciplines. One of the forms of artistic expression of intellectual self-consciousness was creation of pseudonyms. That was the metaphorical way of deliberation of individual identity, but also a signifier of cultural processes that took place between self, creativity and historical context. Onomastic studies had a long tradition and pre-modern intellectuals very early accepted idea that name reveals the essence of things and indicates the character of its wearer. The name was considered as a strong denotative force, which could affect private or public life of an individual. That was further confirmed in the manual of Adrien Baillet Auteurs Deguisez Sous Des Etrangers Noms published in 1690, for all those who wanted to create an alias. Zaharija Orfelin (1726-1785), as one of the early Serbian intellectuals and artists of the Enlightenment, also rejected his last name which remained unknown to date. Only one uncertain explanation was provided and that by Metropolitan Stefan Stratimirovic which stated that Zaharija?s last name was ?Stefanovic?, and that he himself invented the pseudonym ?Orfelin?. In the lack of other sources that thesis was accepted, but never did explain the motives behind the act. That aspect of his artistic personality remained unsolved, so this paper analyze the individual circumstances of his life in the context of onomastic and intellectual history of the early modern period. The invention of pseudonyms was recognized as a general characteristic of the era, so the comparisons and analogies of some biographical details are made between him and few other intellectuals and artists. Signatures that Orfelin put on his pieces are interpreted in the context of his public representation. From today?s perspective, it seems that Orfelins? historical figure stayed hidden behind the personality which was introduced by his chosen name. In that context, the name change referred to deeper internal changes in matters of his identity and public role.

The Manuscript Tradition of Isidore of Pelusium

1954 ◽  
Vol 47 (3) ◽  
pp. 205-210 ◽  
Author(s):  
Morton Smith
Keyword(s):  
Seventeenth Century ◽  
Recent Work ◽  
Historical Account ◽  
Early Christian ◽  
The Past ◽  
Modern Period ◽  
Manuscript Tradition ◽  
New Period ◽  
History Of

The study of Isidore falls roughly into three periods, mediaeval, when the text was used principally for catenae and florilegia, sixteenth-and-seventeenth-century, when it was published and a rudimentary historical account of Isidore worked out from it and from the better-known testimonia, and modern. Of the modern period the outstanding works have been H. Niemeyer's account of Isidore's life and writings, Capo's, Turner's and Lake's studies establishing the relationships of the major western MSS, and the recent work of Dom Andreas Schmid, Die Christologie Isidors von Pelusium, which, by its account of the history of the text, marks a new period in the study. Besides these works, the past fifty years have seen considerable collection of parallels between Isidore's letters and passages in classical or early Christian authors, as well as several detailed discussions of the content of the letters. These discussions have uniformly been undistinguished expositions of the obvious, and the largest collection of parallels, that of L. Bayer, merited the crushing review it was given by K. Fuhr and has since been considerably supplemented by articles which individually, however, are minor.

Capturing the Landscape Within

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
James Johnson
Keyword(s):  
Early Modern ◽  
Recent Work ◽  
Middle Ages ◽  
Visual Arts ◽  
Silent Reading ◽  
Early Modern Period ◽  
Modern History ◽  
Early Middle Ages ◽  
Modern Period ◽  
History Of

This chapter situates the history of listening in the context of recent work in the histories of reading, seeing, and feeling. Using William Reddy’s The Navigation of Feeling (2001), it considers changes in practices—from the absence of silent reading in antiquity and the early Middle Ages, to public reading in the early modern period, to modern silent reading—and, using depictions of museum-goers, sketches a history of experience in the visual arts. By widening the field from listening, this chapter aims both to fill out and to integrate the modern history of experience. It also suggests ways of understanding how transformations in perception by one of our human senses affects those in another and why historic modes of perception and description will not likely return.

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